Attachment clip and attachment structure using same

Abstract

An attachment clip 10 is provided to attach a heat shielding plate 4 to an under-panel 2. The under-panel 2 has a bolt 5 projecting from a floor tunnel 2a. The heat shielding plate 4 has a bolt hole 4a formed to allow passage of a shank 5a of the bolt 5. The attachment clip 10 has a clip body 11 having an abutting part 13 for abutment on the heat shielding plate 4. The abutting part 13 has a shank hole 12 for passage of the shank 5a of the bolt 5. The attachment clip 10 further includes six engagement claws 10A–10F projecting from the inner periphery of the clip body 11 inwardly. The engagement claws 10A–10F have respective engagement tips 10a–10f formed to depart from the clip body 11 along the axial direction of the attachment chip 10, providing a substantial cone-shaped configuration. The engagement claws 10A–10F elastically engage with threads of the shank 5a while urging the heat shielding plate 4 toward the under-panel 2 along the axial direction of the bolt 5.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to an attachment clip suitable for a vehicle and an attachment structure using the attachment clip.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]FIGS. 1 to 4 show an attachment clip which is used to attach car components, such as heat shield plate for insulating heat of a muffler etc. underside the vehicle, that are apt to be influenced by heat.[0005]In the attachment structure using the attachment clip like this, a vehicle body 1a is provided, on its underside 1a, with an under-panel 2 as an “attached” member.[0006]In the under-panel 2, a floor tunnel 2a is formed so as to swell upward at a substantial center in the width direction of the vehicle, having a hat-shaped section.[0007]Attached below the floor tunnel 2a is a heat shield plate 4 which shields the under-panel 2 from heat of a muffler 3, as an “attaching” member.[0008]On the under-panel 2, bolts 5 are arranged to project downward throu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0025]Therefore, in the production of the attachment clips 6, there is a tendency to increase material cost and make it difficult to punch out several clips 6 from a piece of metal plate, reducing a yield rate in producing the clips 6.

[0030]It is further noted that the above-mentioned attachment clip 6 comes into surface-contact with the heat shielding plate 4 due to the annular abutting part 6a annular-shaped with a predetermined width. Therefore, due to the largeness in contact area of the clip 10 with the heat shielding plate 4, the clip 10 is easy to produce rust easily.

[0031]Under the above circumstance, an object of the present invention is to provide an attachment clip which can be used even in a restricted installation space, such as underside of vehicle, and which can suppress increasing of the manufacturing cost with the characteristics of weight-saving, enhanced heat-resistance and rust-proof. Further, another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment structure using such an attachment clip.

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, the attachment clip 6 is unsuitable for attachment of components under restricted working circumstances such that the clip 6 attached to the lower face 1a of the vehicle body 1 might interfere with a road face.

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